Ramaphosa: SA SMMEs are changing the game
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on investors to support the country’s SMMEs (small, medium and micro-sized enterprises) as part of the commitments made at the second investment conference.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the University of Johannesburg in Soweto on Thursday.
“Under the soon to be finalised Public Procurement Bill, organs of state will be required to sub-contract SMMEs to a minimum of 30% of the value of the contract for contracts that are above R30 million,” Ramaphosa said.
“Whoever receives a tender must sub-contract a minimum of 30% of the value of the contract to SMMEs that are at least 51% black owned.”
Ramaphosa said another measure to support SMMEs is in the form of the Competition Amendment Act.
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“This year alone, one of the start ups in the renewable energy sector has just completed a solar PV mini-grid which has electrified 70 households.
“This project implemented with the support of the Eastern Cape provincial government and the German Development Agency has given access to electricity to households who are 90% dependent on social grants at a rate cheaper than that of Eskom.
“To recover the cost, Lamo Solar has partnered with the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, which sells prepaid solar electricity vouchers to the households connected on the grid.”